Silvio Berlusconi's brother, vice president of AC Milan, the team owned by the media mogul, has sparked criticism by using a racist term to refer to the team's new star acquisition, Mario Balotelli, an Italian of African descent.

Paolo Berlusconi, who also runs the family newspaper, Il Giornale, made the comment Sunday at a campaign rally in Milan. In a much-viewed video clip, he tells supporters as he heads to Milan's stadium: "Now, let's go see the family's little black boy, the hot head," using a pejorative term for black people.

Ex-premier Berlusconi on Monday denied his recent purchase of Balotelli from Manchester City was designed to boost popularity with voters in national elections later this month.